It is common to label containers to indicate contents. Some containers are reusable, which means that a new label must be applied when the contents of the container are changed or information on the label must otherwise be updated. Repeatedly changing the information on the label can lead to problems with removing the label and/or otherwise relabeling the container.
In one particular situation, health departments, other governmental organizations, or organizational Best Operating Practices require restaurants to label food containers. A label may identify the food contained in the container, as well as provide information about freshness, quality assurance, and safety of the contained food. In this manner, cross contamination is inhibited, and the expected shelf life of the food before expiration may be determined by food preparers and health department inspectors.
However, a health department may require that the label be renewed periodically, and even as frequently as each day. Relabeling means removing the expired marked label and replacing it with a new marked label. Labels known in the art, which are used for this process, can be difficult to remove from the container, and become unreadable in high moisture areas, such as walk-in food coolers and freezers. Labels known in the art are difficult to remove, and may leave an adhesive residue on the container that is considered a violation of state health codes. The labeling system of the present invention may help resolve these problems by permanently embedding into the container and providing spaces to record information about the food with an erasable marker.
Labels known in the art typically utilize an adhesive that sticks to the container. The label must be peeled off for every change in container content or after a predetermined period. This leaves adhesive on the container, which can contain bacteria. Additionally, the labels known in the art should receive a single marking, without crossing out the prior marking and/or writing on the edges of the label, which may lead to confusion regarding the information.